Green makeover for state capital

SANTOSH K. KIRO

The state capital will soon get back its green crown, thanks to Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC).

The civic body has come up with a plan that will not only make Ranchi beautiful, but also give it more greenery. According to the plan, extensive landscaping will be carried out in areas under RMC’s jurisdiction and trees will be planted alongside roads, dividers, parks and ponds.

The civic body has decided to impanel a few firms, with whose help it will draw up the beautification plans. Thereafter, it will engage the same companies in carrying out landscaping and plantation drives.

“We want to rope in a few, say three or four, firms, which have the expertise of landscaping and horticulture. They will chalk out the designs for roads, parks, water bodies and the like by November,” said RMC chief executive officer Dipankar Panda.

The civic body hopes to bring the firms on board by the end of this month.

The CEO further said that for each park, water body and roads, different landscaping designs would be developed.

Once the landscaping and beautification project is over — which the civic body wants to complete in the next three years — maintenance of different sites like water bodies and parks, which also includes the new ones, will be outsourced to private firms.

As for the money part, the RMC will shell out the expenses from its own coffers.

“We want to use the funds available with us for the project. In case, we need some extra money, we will approach the state government,” Panda added.

Before Jharkhand was carved out from Bihar, Ranchi used to sport a natural green cover. However, the number of trees started steadily depleting once it was made the new state’s capital about 12 years ago.

With the population leaping from 8 lakh in 2001 to about 12 lakh in 2011, numerous buildings mushroomed and new roads were created, which meant that the axe had to fall on trees. Over the years, Ranchi lost its lush green tag with very few plantation drives being undertaken.

At present, even the road dividers, which provides ample space for beautification, lack adequate green cover. As for its green lungs, the city boasts four parks — Zakir Hussain Park, Dada Dadi Park, Children’s Park, Sahjanand Park and Sri Krishna Singh Park. Another has been planned along the road that begins from State Guest House and extends till near Morabadi grounds.